Shortenable umbrella

ABSTRACT

A three-stage umbrella of the telescopic type in which all of the dome rib support members nest one within the other to form a compact umbrella of small outer dimensions when folded and the support members form a quadrilateral structure which is provided with spring means to urge the quadrilateral structure open when the dome ribs are closed to give the support members an initial opening pivoting movement when it is required to open the umbrella.

Umted States Patent 1 [111 3,744,504 Weber July 10, 1973 [54] SHORTENABLE UMBRELLA 2,173,305 9/1339 nail 135/26 X Inventor: Heinz Weber, Hilden, Germany 2,906,277 9/1 59 iltano 135/22 [73] Assignee: Telesco Brophey Limited, Quebec, Primary Examinepd. Karl Ba" Canada Attorney-Alan Swabey [22] Filed: Dec. 28, '1971 [21] Appl. No.: 212,940 [57] ABSTRACT 0 F A u D t A three-stage umbrella of the telescopic type in which [3 1 J 3?? 2 ca Ion y 00 912 1 all of the dome rib support members nest one within emany the other to form a compact umbrella of small outer dimensions when folded and the support members form [2%] ((51. a quadrilateral structure which is provided with p g d 22 25 26 means to urge the quadrilateral structure open when 1 le 0 the dome ribs are closed to give the support members 4 an initial opening pivoting movement when it is re- [56] Reterences cued quired to open the umbrella.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 2,775,977 1/1957 l-laupt 135/26 10 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENm JUL 1 0 ma smears FIG. 2

PAIENIEB JUL 1 0 ms 'wmuafe SHORTENABLE UMBRELLA BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1. Field of Invention The present invention relates to umbrellas and particularly to an umbrella having a telescopic stick and three-section telescopic dome ribs.

2. Description of Prior Art Reference is made to applicants copending United States application Ser. No. 035,184, filed May 6, 1970, issued as United States Letters Patent No. 3,699,988 on October 24, 1972. Further, reference is made to U.S. application Ser. No. 112,916, filed Feb. 5, 1971, issued as United States Letters Patent No. 3,705,593 on Dec. 12, 1972.

The present invention is an improvement over structure shown in applicants earlier applications. Since umbrellas of this type close to a very small package, it is somewhat difficult to open since all of the support structure and dome ribs are parallel to the axis of the stick and adjacent the stick, and especially since the support structure and the dome ribs are nested one within the other.

Furthermore, since the umbrella is now collapsed into such a small package, the covering material makes it difficult to reach the main runner. Even the automatic spreading action which is inherent in the auxiliary link described in the above-mentioned U.S. application Ser. No. 112,916 which is provided mainly for tensioning the supporting structure when the umbrella is in an open position, is not fully satisfactory for sufficiently opening the umbrella at the initial stages of opening.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is an aim of the present invention to provide a supporting structure for a three-stage umbrella wherein the quadrilateral structure has associated therewith spring means which urge the quadrilateral structure to open such that when it is required to open the umbrella, an adequate automatic spreading of the dome ribs and supporting members will be provided.

A construction in accordance with the present invention includes an umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown. The dome ribs include three parts, each part telescopic in the other. A main runner is provided for sliding movement on the stick and an auxiliary runner slides between the crown and the main runner. The support structure is articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position. The support structure includes a stretcher member made up-oftwo articulated parts, with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part'being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner. A strutmember is hinged to the main runner and a link member is connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member. Each of the parts forming the support structure are of U-shaped construction with the exception of the auxiliary link and one part is adapted to nest within the other when the umbrella is being closed. The quadrilateral structure has associated therewith a spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position.

In a more specific embodiment of the invention, the link member is provided with a hair-pin shaped extension which forms a bearing opening for the auxiliary link hinge and the free end of the hair-pin shaped auxiliary link bears against the stretcher member part hinged to the auxiliary runner when the umbrella is in a closed position, normally forcing it away from the auxiliary link.

In another form of the present invention, the spring means can be a hair-pin shaped element anchored at the hinge point between the stretcher member part hinged to the auxiliary runner and the strut member, or it can be a cutout portion of the strut curved in such a way so as to form the resilient spring member against the dome rib part hinged to the auxiliary runner.

Further, another embodiment of the present invention would include a cut-out portion of the stretcher member curved to resiliently engage the stretcher member hinged to the auxiliary runner.

Still a further embodiment of the present invention resides in a tension spring extended diagonally of the quadrilateral formed by the support structure between two diametrically-opposed hinge points.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings showing by way of illustration, a preferred embodiment thereof and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an umbrella in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an umbrella according to FIG. 1 in a closed position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the umbrella shown in FIG. 2 being open from a closed position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the umbrella of FIG. 2 in anopen position;

FIGS. 5 through 9 are fragmentary views of different embodiments of a detail of the umbrella;

FIG. 10, which is on the same sheet as FIG. 1, is a bottom plan view of the crown of the umbrella; and- FIG. 11, which is on the same sheet as FIG. 1, is a side elevation partly in cross section of the crown shown in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION'OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the three-stage umbrella is shown having a telescopic stick 1 comprising telescopic sections 2, 3 and 4. Stick section 4 has the smallest cross section and the free end thereof mounts a handle 5; The umbrella shown in the drawings is of the type generally known as a flat umbrella and, therefore, the handle 5 is of flattened cross section.

The three-stage umbrella shown in the present embodiment has six dome ribs 6, each dome rib compris ing'three sections, namely an inner section 6a, hinged to the crown 9; the central section 6b, telescopic in the section 6a; and an outer section 6c, telescopic within the central section 61;. Dome rib sections 60 and 6b are of U-shaped cross section, while outer section 6c is of steel wire circular cross section.

Main runner 7 slides on the stick 1 and an auxiliary runner 8 slides on the stick 1 between the main runner 7 and the crown 9. The support structure is similarto' that described in US. Pat. No. 3,699,988 and includes articulated stretcher members 10 and 13 with the stretcher section hinged to the auxiliary runner 8, while it is articulated to the U-shaped stretcher section 13 at hinge point 19. The stretcher section 13 extends beyond the hinge point 19 to a hinge pin 20.

A strut 11 is hinged to the main runner 7 at one end and to the stretcher section 10 intermediate thereof at the other end at the hinge point 18. Finally, an auxiliary link 12 extends between the hinge point 20 on the stretcher section 13 and a hinge point 21 is on the strut 11 spaced a short distance from the hinge point 18.

The stretcher section 10 between the hinge points 19 and 18 as well as the link 12 and the stretcher section 13 between the hinge points 19 and 20 and the strut 11 between the hinge points 18 and 21 form a structural quadrilateral.

The members 10, 11 and 13 are of U-shaped cross section and are arranged so that they can nest one within the other as shown in FIG. 2 when the umbrella is in a closed position. The auxiliary link 12 having an intermediate bend 48 nests within the U-shaped strut 11 which in turn nests within the U-shaped stretcher section 10 which itself nests within the stretcher section 13.

For reference in FIG. 3, the quadrilateral structure or parallelogram is identified by the letter V.

The support structure is attached to the dome ribs 6 by means of the geats 14. A hinge pin is mounted within the geats l4 and the free end of the stretcher section 13 is hinged to the pin 15. The outer dome rib section 6c is also connected to the hinge pin 15 and, therefore, as the umbrella is being opened, stretcher section 13 pushes the outer section of the dome rib 6c outwardly, pulling with it the central section 6b.

Still referring to FIG. 3, the articulated quadrilateral V formed by the above-mentioned hinge points 18, 19, and 21 is spring loaded'in accordance with the invention by a spring F in the direction of arrow x.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the spring F is formed by a hair-pin shaped end 23 of the link 12 which extends over the hinge pin 21 and forms a bearing opening 22 over the pin 21. The extended end 23 is curved and enters the U-shaped stretcher section 10 resting against the web 24 thereof and is supported laterally by the legs 25 of this stretcher section 10.

When the support structure and the dome ribs 6 are folded in a closed position as shown in FIG. 2, the spring F, that is, the extended end 23 of the link 12 engages against the web 24 and is compressed or is loaded such that when the dome ribs are released, for instance, by unfastening a small retainer band which is generally about the cover of the umbrella when it is closed, the force of the spring F tends to open up the quadrilateral V by pushing out the stretcher section 10 thereby pivoting the dome ribs 6 in direction x. Since the cover material ,on the dome ribs 6 spreads out with the dome ribs 6, the main runner 7 is thus exposed and the person handling the umbrella can easily grip the main runner 7 in order to fully open the umbrella.

The umbrella frame has a locking system for locking the umbrella in an open position. The auxiliary runner 8 has a downwardly extending sleeve 26 concentric with the axis of the stick. This sleeve 26 passes through the opening in the main runner 7 and is provided with two longitudinal slots 27 and 28 which are axially aligned but spaced apart.

A catch 29 is provided on the umbrella stick as shown in FIG. 1 which engages an abutting end of slot 27 of the sleeve 26 as the runner 7 is pushed upwardly. This retards the forward movement of the runner 8 temporarily, thus enabling the stretcher section 10 and the strut 11 to spread the dome ribs 6. The runner 7 including an upwardly extending sleeve 30 passes over the catch 29 thereby allowing the runner 8 to proceed towards the crown. The catch 29 further engages the slot 28 against the abutting edge 32, as shown in FIG. 4, to finally limit the forward movement of the runner 8 towards the crown and leaving a space between the crown and the runner 8. The main runner 7 is locked in an open position as the catch 33 in the main runner engages through a slot in the sleeve 26 and into a slot provided in the stick as known.

FIGS. 5 through 9 show other embodiments of the structure V.

FIG. 5, for instance, shows a situation wherein a cutout portion 35 is cut out of the strut 11 and suitably bent in a curved position. This portion 35 is cut out from the web 36 of the strut 11 and engages the web 24 of the stretcher section 10. In this case, the link 12 is'modified compared to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 and is substantially as described in applicant's previous applications and merely acts to form the fourth side of the structural quadrilateral or parallelogram.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a hair-pin device 37 is clipped onto the hinge pin 18, with one leg of the hair-pin spring 37, that is, leg 38 urging against the web 36 of the strut 11, while the other curved leg 39 urges against the web 24 of the stretcher section 10.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, there is provided a helical tension spring 40 extending diagonally across the quadrilateral and attached at one end to the hinge pin 20 and at the other end to the hinge pin 18. This is diagonally across the so-called parallelogram and always urges the parallelogram to an open position.

-When the umbrella is closed, of course, the spring is preloaded and under tension.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the spring F is a cut-out portion of the stretcher section 10 and is from the web 24. This leg 42 urges against the web 43 between the legs 44 of the stretcher section 13 and forces the stretcher sections apart since they are normally nested together in a closed position.

FIG. 9 shows yet another embodiment which is a reverse of that shown in FIG. 8, that is, the spring F is a cut-out leg 46 of the stretcher section 13 and urges against the back 47 of the stretcher section 10.

I claim: g

1. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one parthingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to tha auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member; the link having an extension beyond the hinge point with the dome rib section hinged to the auxiliary runner, said extension forming a hair-pin shaped spring with the link including a bearing opening for the hinge point and the free end of the extension of the hair-pin shaped extension urging against the stretcher section hinged to the auxiliary runner to normally force the quadrilateral structure towards an open position.

2. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position; wherein the spring means includes a helical tension spring attached at opposed hinge points of the quadrilateral structure diagonally across thereof.

3. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member 'part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position; wherein the spring means includes a hair-pin shaped spring seated on one of the hinge-points of the quadrilateral structure and urging against two adjacent members thereof.

4. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for slidingmovement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position, the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two-articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position; wherein the spring means includes a cut-out leg of one of the members forming the quadrilateralstructure and curved so as to urge against an adjacent member of the quadrilateral structure.

5. An umbrella frame having a stick; a crown at one end of the stick; dome ribs hinged to the crown; a main runner slidably mounted on the stick; an axuiliary runner slidably mounted on the stick between the main runner and the crown; articulated stretcher means including first and second members and strut members, the strut members being hinged to said main runner, said first stretcher members being hinged to said auxiliary runner, and said second stretcher members being hinged to said dome ribs, the first stretcher members being hinged to said strut members at a point substantially midway of said first stretcher members, the first and second stretcher members being hinged together at a point spaced from an inner end portion of said second stretcher members and defining an extension thereon; and auxiliary link members hinged at one end to the strut members below the hinge point of the stretcher members and the strut members, the other end of said link members being hinged to the extension of said second stretcher members inwardly of the hinge point between said first and second stretcher members, the improvement wherein said stretcher, strut and auxiliary link members combine to form a quadrilateral parallelogram structure disposed adjacent a lower end portion of the umbrella stick when the umbrella frame is collapsed and folded into a stored condition, and spring anopen condition when the umbrella is collapsed and folded for assisting to space the folded structure away from the main runner and to expose the same preparatory to opening the umbrella frame.

6. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral extension of said link members forming a hair pin portion having a bearing portion about the hinged point between said first stretcher members and said link members and including leaf spring portion engaged with and reacting against a portion of said first stretcher members at a point spaced from the hinge point between said first stretcher members and said strut members.

7. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral portion of said strut members forming a leaf spring portion reacting with and engaged against an adjacent portion of said first stretcher members in spaced relation from the hinge point between said strut member and said first stretcher members.

8. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises aseparate spring element having a bearing portion journaled on the hinge point between said first stretcher members and said strut memsaid second stretcher members and said link members.

10. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral potion of one of said first and second stretcher members and includinga leaf spring portion in compressed relation with the other of said fist and second stretcher members.

l l i 

1. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member; the link having an extension beyond the hinge point with the dome rib section hinged to the auxiliary runner, said extension forming a hair-pin shaped spring with the link including a bearing opening for the hinge point and the free end of the extension of the hair-pin shaped extension urging against the stretcher section hinged to the auxiliary runner to normally force the quadrilateral structure towards an open position.
 2. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open Position; wherein the spring means includes a helical tension spring attached at opposed hinge points of the quadrilateral structure diagonally across thereof.
 3. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position; the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position; wherein the spring means includes a hair-pin shaped spring seated on one of the hinge points of the quadrilateral structure and urging against two adjacent members thereof.
 4. An umbrella having a telescopic stick, a crown at one end of the stick, and dome ribs hinged to the crown; said dome ribs including three parts, each telescopic one within the other and a main runner provided for sliding movement on the stick with an auxiliary runner slidable on the stick between the main runner and the crown; a support structure articulated to the auxiliary runner and the main runner to support the dome ribs in an open position, the support structure including a stretcher member made up of two articulated parts with the end of one part hingedly connected to the dome ribs and the end of the other part being hingedly connected to the auxiliary runner; a strut member hinged to the main runner and to the stretcher member and a link member connected to the strut member and to the free end of the stretcher member part hinged to the dome ribs forming a quadrilateral structure with the stretcher member, the quadrilateral structure having associated therewith spring means normally forcing the quadrilateral structure towards an open position; wherein the spring means includes a cut-out leg of one of the members forming the quadrilateral structure and curved so as to urge against an adjacent member of the quadrilateral structure.
 5. An umbrella frame having a stick; a crown at one end of the stick; dome ribs hinged to the crown; a main runner slidably mounted on the stick; an axuiliary runner slidably mounted on the stick between the main runner and the crown; articulated stretcher means including first and second members and strut members, the strut members being hinged to said main runner, said first stretcher members being hinged to said auxiliary runner, and said second stretcher members being hinged to said dome ribs, the first stretcher members being hinged to said strut members at a point substantially midway of said first stretcher members, the first and second stretcher members being hinged together at a point spaced from an inner end portion of said second stretcher members and defining an extension thereon; and auxiliary link members hinged at one end to the strut members below the hinge point of the stretcher members and the strut members, the other end of said link members being hinged to the extension of said second stretcher members inwardly of the hinge point between said first and second stretcher members, the improvement wherein said stretcher, strut and auxiliary link members combine to form a quadrilateral , parallelogram structure disposed adjacent a lower end portion of the umbrella stick when the umbrella frame is collapsed and folded into a stored condition, and spring means operatively connected to and reacting on the member portions forming the quadrilateral structure and normally urging the quadrilateral structure toward an''''open'''' condition when the umbrella is collapsed and folded for assisting to space the folded structure away from the main runner and to expose the same preparatory to ''''opening'''' the umbrella frame.
 6. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral extension of said link members forming a hair pin portion having a bearing portion about the hinged point between said first stretcher members and said link members and including leaf spring portion engaged with and reacting against a portion of said first stretcher members at a point spaced from the hinge point between said first stretcher members and said strut members.
 7. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral portion of said strut members forming a leaf spring portion reacting with and engaged against an adjacent portion of said first stretcher members in spaced relation from the hinge point between said strut member and said first stretcher members.
 8. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises a separate spring element having a bearing portion journaled on the hinge point between said first stretcher members and said strut members and including one leg abutting said strut members in spaced relation from said hinge point and another leg abutting said first stretcher members.
 9. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises a tension spring having one end connected to the hinge point between said strut and first stretcher members, and having another end connected to the hinge point between the extension of said second stretcher members and said link members.
 10. The structure as claimed in claim 5 in which said spring means comprises an integral potion of one of said first and second stretcher members and including a leaf spring portion in compressed relation with the other of said fist and second stretcher members. 